Housing - Disabled Facilities Grant

The Disabled Facilities Grant is available for a range of work that will help a disabled person to maintain their independence in their home.

You can apply for a grant if you are:

a tenant or owner of a property

a landlord on behalf of a disabled tenant

The person who applies for the grant does not have to be the disabled person who needs the adaptations.

However, the person applying for the grant will be asked to sign a certificate stating that the disabled person will occupy the home being adapted for at least five years. The time can be shorter because of the disabled persons health or other relevant factors.

Whoever applies for the grant must produce a certificate of ownership or tenancy.

What type of work is eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant?

Disabled Facilities Grants are awarded for essential adaptations to give a disabled person better freedom of movement around the house. This work includes:

widening doors or installing ramps

providing a specially adapted room in which it is safe to leave a disabled person unattended

installing a stair lift so there is better access to a bathroom, kitchen, or bedroom

installing a downstairs bathroom

improving or installing a heating system which is suitable for the disabled person

adapting heating or lighting controls so that they are easier to use by a disabled person

Does the Council have to give me a Disabled Facilities Grant?

The Council will have to ensure that the work is:

necessary

appropriate

reasonable

practicable

feasible

An occupational therapist will usually be consulted to ensure the work is necessary and appropriate for the disabled person.

The Council can refuse a grant if it believes the scheme does not fit these criteria.

How is the Disabled Facilities Grant calculated?

The grant is means tested to ensure that those in the most need get the most help.

This will be determined by the income and capital of:

the disabled person

the disabled persons spouse or partner

It will take into account:

a person's average weekly income

any savings above a set amount

Some benefits, especially those that recognise a person's disability are not included.

If your resources are less than your assessed basic needs you will be given a full grant.

If your resources are more than your assessed needs you may be considered for a disability adaptation supplementary grant (DASG) for some of the work costs and a grant for the remainder of the costs.

If adaptations are for a child or young person who has not reacged their 20th birthday, the parents will not be means tested.

How do I apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant?

Contact us using the details above. They will be able to tell you what supporting document you may need. Please let us know if the work is urgent.

You will need to make sure that any building regulation approval or planning permission has been granted before you start work.

You will not get any grant if you have started work before the Council has approved your application.

You must submit your application at the earliest opportunity.

You will be notified, in writing, within six months of receipt of your application, whether you have been given a grant.

What is the maximum Disabled Facilities Grant?

The maximum grant is £36,000 including all fees and ancillary costs.

How will the Disabled Facilities Grant be paid?

The Council may pay the grant in instalments as the work progresses or once all the work has been completed.

Your grant will only be paid when the Council is satisfied that the work has been satisfactorily completed and in accordance with the grant approval.

Grants can only be paid on provision of a satisfactory invoice for the work.

The grant may be paid directly to the contractor or in a form that you can pay them once the work has been completed.

An invoice is not acceptable if it is for work or service provided by the applicant or a member of his or her family.

When work is carried out by the applicant or a relative, only invoices for materials or services that have been bought will be acceptable.

What are the grant conditions?

If a grant award is over £5,000 you will be asked to sign an agreement that you will repay the grant if you sell the property within 5 years of the adaptations being completed.

However, if the adapted property is sold to a registered social landlord, the grant will not be reclaimed.

If the grant award is less than £5,000, there are no grant conditions.